We can’t go on pretending day by day
That someone, somehow will soon make a change
We are all a part of Gods great big family
And the truth, you know,
Love is all we need

[Chorus]
We are the world, we are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day
So lets start giving
There’s a choice we’re making
We’re saving our own lives
Its true we’ll make a better day
Just you and me

Send them your heart so they’ll know that someone cares
And their lives will be stronger and free
As God has shown us by turning stones to bread
So we all must lend a helping hand

[Chorus]

When you’re down and out, there seems no hope at all
But if you just believe there’s no way we can fall well well well well
Let us realize that a change can only come
When we stand together as one

[Chorus: x2]
Just You and me”

NOW RELIGION COULD TWIST THAT INTO GIVING TO THEMSELVES BUT INTENDED FOR WORLD’S REAL NEEDY

This is an exemplary leadership action:

1) “we must take accountability for the actions of those whom we have welcomed into our membership”

2) “we now must begin the task of seeking forgiveness and taking steps to ensure this never happens again.”

I hope ubf leaders are reading this. Can you see how shallow and empty the words “I want to apologize” would be without these two concrete statements of repentance and penance?

This is what I have been saying for the past 4 years. I summed it up in my open letter which sparked a few discussions with ATK (the GD) but his responses never came close to what the SAE director writes.

In my letter I share two of the demands that I am convinced the gospel makes of us:

1) repentance: Admit the abuse, to open the door to actual forgiveness and reconciliation.

2) penance: Release the bonds, to ensure the abuse never happens again.

Two demands: My Open Letter to the Director of UBF

It is not clear to me, but yes there is an effort to ban ubf at one university it would seem. This is not new. ubf has been banned numerous times in the past. I’m not concerned with banning them. I just want to warn people of the harmful effects of KOPAHN theology.

ubf promises to make you a “world class leader” through their hidden 6 stage disciple training program.

I stand as a living witness that such “training” servers only to feed the narcissistic supply of a few Korean ubf leaders. After 24 years of such “training” I could not speak or listen to American English properly, had no clue what the basic doctrines of Christianity are, and was only world class in one thing: sitting on a folding chair and foolishly submitting all my life decisions to my shepherd for approval and to find “God’s will” for my life.

Don’t be fooled. “God’s will” is code at ubf for “stay loyal to ubf”. ubf people are confused between “ubf” and “God”. This is all proof-texted from the bible to give the false appearance of authority. Don’t believe them.

To answer your questions… Yes that comment by Mark is a computer glitch. I plan on fixing the formatting of that comment this weekend when I get a chance.

KOPAHN is an acronym for Kingdom Of Priests And Holy Nation. ubf refuses to identify their theology. They claim the absurdity of “we just follow the bible only”. That is a common fallacy. No one “just obeys the bible”. Everyone has their own theology.

So I labeled the cult theology of ubf as “KOPAHN”. I describe this briefly in my 2nd book, “Goodness Found: The Butterfly Narratives”.

I have sometimes called my new theology as “the butterfly theology” or “outlaw theology”. No one will have perfect theology. We all die before figuring it all out. So I knowingly and unashamedly am working out my theology while first learning how to love people, even enemies.

Did someone make the text really vertical and hit enter so many times because they felt enter was hit so much in the article to copy the structure and subtly suggest it should not be used so much or was it more of a computer issue or something else?

I believe UBF should answer for its own actions and those brought in should stop excusing it by their own reasoning. As many have mentioned here, and which is highlighted in the article, things are not what they seem. But there’s no need to find a way to excuse it anymore.

Even so, it’s a great example of an organization taking responsibility for their leadership, one that is essential in surviving today’s information culture.

Good morning.

I want to thank everyone for coming today. In addition to being the Fraternity’s Executive Director, I’m also a proud member of SAE. And I want to start my remarks today by saying that the recent actions of certain members at the University of Oklahoma do not reflect the Fraternity I now lead. The chant in the video is ugly, demoralizing and absolutely counter to the values of SAE. I want to be crystal clear – we have zero tolerance for that sort of behavior.

As a national organization, however, we must take accountability for the actions of those whom we have welcomed into our membership. And so today I want to apologize on behalf of our Fraternity for the pain this situation has caused. The words were offensive and harmful, and we now must begin the task of seeking forgiveness and taking steps to ensure this never happens again.”

I’ve said this repeatedly, (most if not close to all of) our ubf missionaries DID sacrifice in order to be missionaries in a foreign land. They, for the most part, are also extremely generous and hospitable. We, the indigenous people, SHOULD commend them. But they SHOULD NOT expect that we do, since they did so for God and not just for us. As long as they expect, they are only making themselves miserable for nothing. When they expect, God will say, “Is my reward not enough?” So, thank God for their sacrifice and generosity.

To be empathetic, they are expressing their culture and imposing their expectations on Americans and other indigenous people. It’s because they know of no other way to express their Christianity. Sadly, most ubf chapters are based on Korean culture and expectations, including what this poem expresses so well. I understand this and want to be patient and understanding with them. But it DOES NOT excuse them. As the saying goes, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” Because they do not contextualize (thinking it is a sin or a compromise to do so), more and more problems, schisms, conflicts, departures and divisions will arise, as has been happening.

What wins people is not how much one sacrifices or how generous one is. But what wins people is incarnation, condescension and genuine humility. As long as our missionaries keep their (power) distance, they are not going to have many true friends or disciples among Americans, no matter how much they sacrifice.

I believe that our missionaries are truly commendable in countless ways. But as long as that is what they think of themselves, the results will be counterproductive. I was trying to be charitable, but I probably did not succeed!

Seems like UBF got banned at a University?

I really appreciate your poetic form and expression. Honestly, you have given voice and form to many of the “groans” in my heart. Sometimes poetry really encapsulates a feeling or reality that can’t be attested to. There are so many statements here. I just want to respond to a few. I value your struggle and God’s people and the difficult time you and your ministry have gone though, and pray God will continue to build your love as you bear your own cross, the weight of the ministry at your school.

“But he did not mean what he said.” How many people have tried to follow what a missionary pastor has said, and it led to bad consequences, yet the pastor wasn’t accountable? “Didn’t mean what he said” is too often true. Lack of English training and being equipped for intercultural missions is a serious problem that will take generations to correct.

“How could I have known if you did not tell me?” I recently brought up the problem of unspoken expectations with one of the missionaries in our church. He seems completely unaware of the possibility, and expects a clean slate approach, not taking his own leadership responsibly. I made a decision before God to not let anyone punish or dictate my life with unspoken expectations again. And not much response to this from said missionary.

“Do not be a lamp hidden in a basket to block the light” This describes well the problem of hidden expectations, hidden discipleship plans, and all the gossipping about growing disciples in UBF that often happens (not always, but often). To make healthy boundaries, students and shepherds have to learn to say, “ok, I can serve (x role), but please tell me first before you tell the conference committee” so that it can be about discipleship instead of show. For one conference (it was a frighteningly large conference) I was strongly advocated to be a messenger. Another vigourously stood against me to be a messenger because I had been “disobedient.” Yet that person had never approached me about my supposed “disobedience”, and the person advocating me to be a messenger never asked me first, though it was (quite frankly) a very large conference. Openness and transparency (yes I know you should make hard decisions away from the public, but) are absolutely key in this culture and our time.

“Do not call it marriage by faith without explaining what that really means.” If they explained in fullness, they know most people would just go to Cru or FOCUS or IVBF. If they really explained how little they support family or mission as well, they would get a much different reaction. However, it would also make them accountable to own up to mistakes in the past and that is not easily manageable.

For example, this song explains how I felt as I resigned from ubf forever:

Petra: Second Wind

Thoughts on a “Freedom of Mind Workshop for former ubf members”?

Dr. Hassan services

“Option Four: Sponsor a workshop or attend a scheduled ex-member workshop. If you are on a very limited budget but would like to work with Steve in person, consider organizing a program in your city. If there are a number of other former members who also want to work on issues relating to cult involvement, then pooling financial resources is a good choice. If you have experience at event planning, or are just a highly motivated person and have good organizational skills and free time, just contact the office for more information.”

As a former leader at ubf, what do I want? It could be said as simply as you share in your poem: I want ubf missionaries to feel. I want them to stop saying emotions are evil, humanistic, unspiritual, Satanic, etc.

This all speaks to what Dr. Hassan calls emotional control. The “E” in his excellent B.I.T.E. model stands for “emotion”. Take a look at the things on the top of his emotional control list.

—————
1. Manipulate and narrow the range of feelings – some emotions and/or needs are deemed as evil, wrong or selfish

2. Teach emotion-stopping techniques to block feelings of homesickness, anger, doubt

3. Make the person feel that problems are always their own fault, never the leader’s or the group’s fault

4. Promote feelings of guilt or unworthiness
—————

Is this not what ubf Koreans call “training”? I reached out to Steve and he has amazing resources and an uncanny understanding of what we are going through at ubf due to his Moonie leadership background.